What Now?
by Guinivere Sage
Summary: After graduation, our trio is splitting apart. But two of them might just be getting together... Oneshot TxS fluff... the real kind.


**Author's Note: Okay, okay, I should probably explain myself. I wrote "Who Would Have Thought?" as a challenge to myself, but I didn't really take it seriously. I was too grossed out by the thought of Sam and Tucker together, and I over-reacted. To all the TxS shippers out there, I apologize. I had someone ask me why, when I'm a DxS shipper, would I write a TxS story, and I'm giving this explanation: I'm a writer. I love writing Danny and Sam as a pairing; I think it's cute and oh-so-meant to be, but when I'm faced with a challenge, I take it right away. I feel like I've been writing for so long that nothing is difficult anymore, so I decided to knuckle down and face this thing that has disrupted me so… a true, fluffy, Tucker/Sam story.**

**Also, with my previous TxS, I seemed to have unearthed an odd in-the-closet ship. To all those in-the-closet shippers, show your pride. Whether people believe in it or not, don't be afraid of stating that you think Tucker and Sam should be together. This is my shout-out to all of you. Don't sit and wait for an okay TxS story to come along. Go forth and write the best TxS story of all time.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. God bless him.

* * *

**

There had always been this sort of… something.

Ever since that first meeting in ninth grade, techno-geek to gothic indifference, he'd felt the connection. And over four years, after a small failed attempt to make his dream happen, he had to watch as his two best friends slowly fell in love.

Tucker wasn't sure exactly when he noticed that Danny and Sam liked each other. It had to have been in ninth grade, since that was when the whole Ember incident happened, but there'd been chemistry before that, too. He remembered watching them flirt and advance and retreat. The endless game between man and woman that had been around since the beginning of time. He wanted to be part of it, but could he ever really tell her? Could Tucker Foley ever tell Sam Manson that he loved her? Maybe. One thing was for sure, though. If he was going to tell her, he had to do it soon.

Standing there in his cap and gown, diploma in hand, Tucker watched as Sam went up to accept her own. With a glance at Danny, Tucker saw that he, too, was watching her with avid interest. _Danny, you oblivious schmuck. Can't you see she's crazy about you? If she ever looked at me the way she looks at you, I'd risk anything the be with her._ Sam turned then, grinning like they'd never seen her grin before, and looked at her two best friends. Both of them smiled back and waved, and then braced themselves as she came running down the stairs. She attacked Danny first, crushing him with the biggest hug she'd ever given. He laughed as she went on an on about how she was finally getting out of this crazy-ass town.

Tucker just watched as he'd watched for the past four years. As much as he wanted to be with her, he wanted her happiness more. And if Danny made Sam happy, then Tucker wished her luck in getting through that boy's thick head. Not that Tucker didn't love Danny in his own, brotherly way, but the half-a could be extremely unaware of what's going on around him.

It was then that Sam turned to Tucker, and though her smile didn't fade, it softened. She walked forward and put her arms around his neck, holding him tight. Tucker held on to her like he never had before, knowing that soon she'd be leaving him, and this would be his last chance. When she pulled back, her hands remained on his shoulders. "If there's one thing I'll miss when I go to college, it'll be you guys. I still don't remember why we decided to head in different directions."

"Because we've got different plans in life. And look at it this way, Sam. Danny can always pick me up and fly us over to you. This isn't the end; just a different kind of beginning."

"You always were the smart one."

Danny chuckled. "More like smart-ass."

Sam laughed and reached up to kiss Tucker's cheek. Surprisingly, she whispered in his ear. "I need to talk to you later."

She left his arms and he nodded. Together, the three friends watched as the rest of their classmates received their diplomas. When the ceremonies were over they separated, going to speak to all their family members that had come.

* * *

He wasn't sure what to expect, but when Sam came over to Tucker's house later, everything seemed really normal. They lounged in the living room and talked about college, and changes, and the things they'd miss versus the things they wouldn't. To Tucker's surprise, Sam was sending him shy glances, and every once in a while she'd smile in a strange way. It gave him courage. He knew Sam had something to tell him, but he had to tell her something first.

"Listen, Sam, I know you came here for a reason, but before we get into that, I was hoping I could talk to you about something."

She smiled. "Sure."

He was sitting next to her on the couch, and he shifted so that he could face her. Boldly, he took one of her hands. _Jeez, I feel like a freshman geek asking out the most beautiful girl in school. Well, maybe we're not freshmen, but the rest is right…_ "Sam, we've been friends for a while, and we sure have been through a lot. You and I; we argue all the time—"

"Yeah, remember that protest in ninth grade? That was extreme, but I know what you're saying."

"Yeah. Well, we may fight at times but I want you to know that through everything, I've cared about you a whole lot. I still do."

"I care about you, too."

"See, now I'm not sure we're thinking on the same track, and I want to get this straightened out. I know I'm not the coolest guy around, and my track record with girls isn't the best…" Sam laughed and he smiled. Tucker continued, "But I'm trying again, and I think for the first time it really matters. Sam, I love you, and not in the brotherly or best-friend way. I love you like one man loves one woman, and before we go off to college and leave our close proximity behind, I needed you to know that."

There was a long silence as Sam just stared at him. Her eyes searched his face, and though he was nervous, she was looking at him in a way that made everything okay in the world.

"Tucker," she said finally. "I feel the same way."

He was amazed and almost too hopeful. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've been wanting to tell you for so long, but I didn't want to hurt Danny, and I did enjoy flirting with him. But… I really love you, and that's what I came here to tell you today. I didn't want to leave you without telling you how I truly felt. But I had no idea you loved me… you went after so many other girls."

"Well, I knew you and Danny had a thing going, and I didn't want to try and tear you guys apart. That wouldn't be a very friendly thing to do."

"Yeah, I guess I can understand that."

Silence came again, as though neither really knew what else to say. Finally, Tucker took Sam's other hand and shifted closer. He implored her with his eyes. "Can I…?"

She nodded and leaned in, meeting him halfway. They kissed; their first real kiss, the one in ninth grade not counting. It was simple and sweet, and Sam lifted one hand to lay it alongside his cheek. They broke apart for a few seconds and smiled at each other. Tucker took hold of her then and brought them together once more. Now that Sam was finally his, he wasn't going to ever let her go.

* * *

**Okay, so maybe that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Like I said before, I love Tucker. If he was a real guy, I'd totally date him, and I've always said that any girl would be stupid not to… and I certainly can't call Sam stupid. And hey, we know that Sam is a beautiful, intelligent, take-charge girl; the precise kind of girl Tucker goes for (cough, Emlyn, cough). So maybe I can kind of, sort of, maybe with a slight possibility see the Tucker-Sam thing happening, but I honestly don't see it coming in the show. I'm still totally and completely DxS, so to all my lovely fellow shippers, never fear. I don't think I could do this again. But I've accomplished my goal: it's cute, it's fluffy, it actually works, and it wasn't totally and completely out of character. My mission is complete. Thank you, I'll now go write more DxS.**

**FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL (even TxS)**


End file.
